Thursday, September 8, 2011

How to be a Happy Business and deal with Slow Vendors

Trust me – this is a battle I fight daily. No sooner do I find a reliable fast shipping vendor, and BOOMMMM - I get hit with a molasses slow shipment.

As an artist, there is nothing worse then having your product listed, and not being able to get your hands on the raw materials. I am seconds away from creating my own supply shop!!! One you can count on delivery…. If you need it priority – It’s as good as in the mail. Here I sit today. I can’t tell you how many orders are waiting for sterling silver chain….. My usual supplier is “out of stock” so I priority mail chain for 3 other suppliers. None of which I have in hand…. The “holiday” has slowed them down…. Seriously???? Cause the holiday didn’t slow my buyers down!!!!

Maybe the better question is, how much back stock is good for a small business. Believe me when I say, I wrestle with this EVERYDAY!!!!!! I have huge back stocks on items that seemed to be popular…then, a few days later, that all changed…. Now, no one wants those, they want something else!!!!

Lesson learned…. Keep gazillion feet of sterling chain and wire…. Crystals you can find anywhere… you can get them faster from China then a warehouse 40 min from your home. I try to always have at least one of everything I sell online in stock at all times. But it seems that things sell in groups. I will sell 5 necklaces of the same type in a week, then not one single one after. I am not sure how to explain it, but trust me when I say, if I find out – you will ALL KNOW!!! There is nothing worse than paying extra shipping costs to get things fast because your supplier is SLOW.

Ok, off soapbox and looking for a nice glass of wine and a pretty picture to look at…… Off into the sunset I walk....in a field of amazing flowers... vendor issues are all drifting off into a blur of unrecognizable business life.... Sweet scents of my favorite soaps and lotions call me into a dreamland I visit each night. I bid you good night, and happy shopping (and shipping) in the morrow. Luv ya!!!!